Megan Rapinoe calls out Team USA hockey for celebrating with Trump on FaceTime, and says her own team turned down the same invite for one reason

Megan Rapinoe has openly accused President Trump of using the gold medal-winning Team USA men’s hockey team for his own political gain. She also warned the team that they were being played. Rapinoe, who was captain of the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), has history to back up her claims.

The situation started after the United States men’s hockey team won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, beating Canada 2-1. After the win, a video leaked showing the team celebrating as President Trump called them via FaceTime. Trump reportedly made a comment about being “forced” to invite the women’s team, which the women’s captain called “distasteful.”

Speaking on her podcast with partner and WNBA legend Sue Bird, Rapinoe said she believes President Trump was using the team’s moment to “prop himself up.” According to Express US, she stated, “He’s using you to do something else, which isn’t just celebrating your moment, he’s always going to co-opt.” She made clear this was not just a simple congratulatory call.

Athletes need to protect their moments from being used for political purposes

Rapinoe shared that the USWNT had a similar opportunity to visit the White House during Trump’s first term but chose to decline. She explained that they weren’t going to be “naive” about the situation, knowing the moment would be “co-opted” for other purposes. Critics have also raised concerns about Trump’s broader foreign policy decisions and their consequences, suggesting a pattern of prioritizing political optics over substance.

What bothered Rapinoe most was the men’s hockey team’s reaction to Trump’s joke about the women’s team. She openly questioned why the team was “laughing” at the comment and challenged them directly. “But also why don’t you respect you enough?” Rapinoe asked.

She said the gold medal win was a unique achievement, a “childhood fairy tale” come true, and now this controversy is what people remember about that moment. She thinks that “sucks” for the athletes. This kind of political maneuvering is not new, as seen in reports about Trump’s inner circle pushing aggressive geopolitical schemes that critics say put political goals ahead of everything else.

At least one hockey player has reportedly admitted to regretting his reaction to Trump’s comment about the women’s team. Rapinoe’s point is clear: athletes should guard their hard-earned moments and not let them be used for anything beyond celebrating their success.